Gossip: Huricane Hazel Strikes Again

[ed_rex]

According to today's paper, Mississauga's 87 year-old mayor, Hazel McCallion has declared she is "taking on" federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty over the latter's refusal to help fund municipal infrastructure in this country.

Whatever I think of her city, McCallion, who was first elected in 1978 and was re-elected last year with 91% of the vote, is one tough cookie. And seeing her in the news again reminded me of a story I heard when I was last in Sudbury, from someone who claims to have heard it from the proverbial horse's mouth.

Apparently, during Sudbury's last municipal election, mayoral candidate (and now mayor) John Rodriguez, who was 69 himself at the time, was concerned about being characterized as "too old" for the job and so called Hurricane Hazel for advice.

Quoth Hazel: "Tell them to fuck off."

Comments

[deweyintoronto.livejournal.com]

Hazel is, quite simply, my idol. Sure, lots of little old ladies have finally dispensed with pretense and wander around saying EXACTLY what they think at the moment they're thinking it. The difference is that Hazel always has!

And ...

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

... she runs Canada's 6th largest city. She ain't just sitting around blogging. (Ahem.)

[sooguy.livejournal.com]

I am amazed by the tenacity of that woman.

She quit playing hockey at age 80 or something ridiculous.

Putting Gordie Howe In His Place

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten about that, but you're right. She reminds me of my superintendent, except, well, my super runs three buildings while Hazel runs Mississauga.

[sabotabby]

Hazel could totally wipe the floor with Flarety's ass. And it wold be awesome.

Let's Pray for Awesome

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right. According to the Globe, she said, "Mayor Miller has agreed I should lead the cause... I challenge Harper or Flaherty or anybody to say how they could do it [manage Mississauga's finances] better. What can we expect? When he was minister of finance in Ontario he gave us the gears, downloaded social housing, took away all of our transit. Do you expect anything different form him when he's in Ottawa? I'd love to challenge him to a public debate!

I'm not fighting for Mississauga, I'm fighting for the municipalities of Canada."

Go Hazel!

[amaaanda.livejournal.com]

I adore her. I want to BE her. You know, in sixty years or so.

[maryweasley.livejournal.com]

I would like to see such a person running some of Polish cities, no matter how old that person would be. If she feels well and people want her to be a mayor, so why not.